Major Centenary Bridge construction complete after two-and-a-half years

Major construction of the new Centenary Bridge has finished, with the state government blaming the CFMEU for causing up to 70 days worth of disrupted or delayed work.

Construction works started in 2023. Picture: David Clark

Major construction of the new Centenary Bridge has been completed, with the state government blaming the CFMEU for causing up to 70 days worth of disrupted or delayed work.

The bridge opened on Sunday.

Shocking dashcam footage previously shown at the commission of inquiry into the union revealed more than 10 CFMEU members surrounded the cars of Australian Workers’ Union organisers at the Centenary Bridge construction site on February 23, 2024.

Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said opening the new bridge, which has more than 85,000 vehicles using it every day, had taken a “tremendous amount of work”.

“It’s been a significant project, starting on site here in April 2023 so a fair journey to get to this point, but a really important milestone here today,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a decade of decline under the former Labor government, where far too many of these priorities were ignored, and my job as the Minister for Transport main roads is to finish those projects that are underway right now.”

Opposition transport spokesman Bart Mellish said Labor funded and built the Centenary Bridge, which will make a huge difference to the lives of so many Queensland commuters.

When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for the CFMEU said: “The CFMEU will not comment on incidents that occurred under previous leadership. The union is committed to focusing on what matters most to our members - safe workplaces and high standards for workers.”